DEVOTION – DAY 444

Ephesians 2:19-20 “God’s Household”

Ephesians 2:19-20 “Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of His household. Built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets with Christ Jesus Himself as the chief cornerstone.”

The unity that Christians have with each other is based on what Jesus Christ did on the cross and by His death and resurrection. Everyone who have accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior are welcomed into the extended family of God – they were once foreigners and strangers but they are part of the same household of God. That is what being part of God’s extended family mean. The faith of the Christians in 1st century AD was due to the teachings and preaching of Christians apostles and prophets with their foundation based upon the life, work and teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ, Himself. That is why Jesus is often regarded as the chief cornerstone of the Church.

The unity that Christians experienced with other Christians is special. An invisible bond exists even though Christians may meet other Christians for the first time. When we travel abroad, we try to visit local churches. We have often been welcomed warmly wherever we chose to worship. We may not know anyone in the churches we happen to visit, but we are usually welcomed by ushers. We find that we all worship the same God. We share the same Bible, and we sing similar worship and praise songs. This is a foretaste of what it will be like when we get to heaven where we will see believers everywhere worshipping and praising God with joy. 

We once attended a church service in Swindon, a small town in England. We happened to attend on a day that a few people had their baptism. Before, the baptism, each person undergoing baptism gave their personal testimony. We were struck by their conversion experiences – that despite their different backgrounds, they all expressed how the Lord Jesus satisfied the deepest longings of their hearts. Their testimonies also resonated with us because we could also identify with their experiences having gone through something similar. Again, we were reminded that we were all members of God’s household with Christ as our cornerstone.

Let us pray: Heavenly Father, Thank you for drawing us to the saving grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Thank you for allowing us to be accepted as a member of your household with Christ as our cornerstone. Please help us to love one another and to build up your church. In the holy name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.

Questions

  1. Do you go out of your way to make newcomers to your church feel welcomed? How important is it that visitors and newcomers to your church be made to feel welcomed? Discuss.
  2. Why do Christians have a special bond with each other even though they may not know each other personally?
  3. What are some common grounds that Christians have with each other? Share.
  4. What steps can you take to help others feel welcomed in your church?